Written Answers Thursday 3 September 2009

Scottish Executive

Allotments

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Minister for Environment is taking to ensure that local authorities undertake their legal obligation under the Allotments acts to provide allotments if there is a proven demand.

Roseanna Cunningham: Our national food and drink policy supports the development of allotments and "grow your own" projects.

  The provision of allotments is a matter for local authorities. They are best placed to meet the needs of their communities.

Culture

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the music industry.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government fully recognises the important contribution the music industry makes to Scottish life and our economy. A wide range of support is provided to the music industry through its publicly funded agencies such as the Scottish Arts Council, the enterprise agencies, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council and through local authorities. This includes funding and assistance for artists and projects, business support and advice; facilitating industry networks; supporting the new Scottish Music Industry Association and Glasgow as UNESCO’s City of Music, and through skills, training and qualifications.

Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people received an Education Maintenance Allowance in the (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 academic years.

Fiona Hyslop: The total number of people who received an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is given in Table 1 of Education Maintenance Allowances 2007-08 :

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/23112534/0.

  Thirty-seven thousand, eight hundred and fifteen students received an EMA payment in academic year 2007-08.

  Statistics for academic year 2008-09 will be published this winter.

Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on the provision of Education Maintenance Allowances in the (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 academic years.

Fiona Hyslop: The spend on Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) is recorded in financial years rather than academic years. The total amount spent on the scheme was £37.2 million in financial year 2007-08 and £36.5 million in financial year 2008-09. These figures include both payments made to EMA recipients and additional expenditure related to the scheme e.g. administration costs.

  Figures on the amount paid out to young people in the form of weekly and bonus payments are given in Education Maintenance Allowances 2007-08:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/23112534/0.

  £33.3 million was paid out to EMA recipients in academic year 2007-08. Statistics for academic year 2008-09 will be published this winter.

Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people it anticipates will qualify for the Education Maintenance Allowance in the 2009-10 academic year following the reduction in the maximum qualifying income threshold.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold exact details of the level of income for all households that contain a 16 to 19-year-old in school or further education. As such it isn’t possible to calculate a precise figure for the number of young people who would qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in 2009-10.

  However, based on an analysis of recipients of EMA in academic year 2007-08, it is estimated that around 34,000 young people will receive an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in academic year 2009-10. This estimate does not account for any potential increase in numbers due to population change, the economic slowdown or the availability of EMA payments to those participating in the pilots of Activity Agreements in 10 local authorities.

Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it anticipates spending on the provision of Education Maintenance Allowances in the 2009-10 academic year following the reduction in the maximum qualifying income threshold.

Fiona Hyslop: The budget for Education Maintenance Allowances is determined on a financial year basis rather than by academic years. In financial year 2009-10 the budget for the scheme is £33.25 million.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 reported to the Procurator Fiscal in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside have been the subject of court proceedings in each year since 2005, broken down by section of the act.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Proceeded Against under the Emergency Workers Act 20051 in Dundee City and Tayside2, 2005-06 to 2007-083

  

Area/Section
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Dundee City 
-
3
16


Section 2(1)
-
2
6


Section 5(1)
-
1
10


Tayside
1
7
21


Section 1(1)
1
2
1


Section 2(1)
-
4
8


Section 5(1)
-
1
12



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Service.

  Notes:

  1. Where Main Offence.

  2. Based on an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area.

  3. The reference year is the date that the person’s case was disposed of.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 reported to the Procurator Fiscal in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside in each year since 2005 resulted in a successful prosecution.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons with a charge proved under the Emergency Workers Act 20051 in Dundee City and Tayside2, 2005-06 - 2007-083:

  

Area/Section
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Dundee City 
-
2
15


Section 2(1)
-
2
5


Section 5(1)
-
-
10


Tayside
1
6
19


Section 1(1)
1
2
-


Section 2(1)
-
4
7


Section 5(1)
-
-
12



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Service

  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area.

  3. The reference year is the date that the person’s case was disposed of.

Employment

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance from the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) was made available to employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock.

Fiona Hyslop: All employees were invited to attend PACE information sessions on site where representatives of Skills Development Scotland, Jobcentre Plus Scotland and Inverclyde Council Money Advice Team outlined the support available to those facing redundancy. All employees were made aware of their eligibility for funding for training and were invited to apply.

Employment

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock have found alternative employment as a result of intervention by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).

Fiona Hyslop: This information is not currently tracked by Skills Development Scotland which delivers PACE support on behalf of the Scottish Government. However, HM Revenue and Customs can track this information after 12 months and the issue of tracking and evaluation will be considered as part of the action plan approved by the PACE Partnership.

Employment

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock have entered further education and training as a result of intervention by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).

Fiona Hyslop: It is too early to be able to assess figures for those entering Training for Work programmes and for those entering further education.

  To date eight employees have undergone Skills Training Analysis, five of whom started work before the required training could be sourced and delivered. The remaining three people are awaiting procurement of their recommended training.

Employment

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant by the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered and took up one-to-one counselling and advice on career development.

Fiona Hyslop: All of the 140 employees being made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered one to one counselling and advice on career development. One hundred and twenty-five employees accessed this support.

Employment

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered access to high-quality training.

Fiona Hyslop: All employees being made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were provided with information on training available to them, in particular the opportunity of early access to Training for Work programmes.

Employment

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) financial and (b) skills support is available for people who are being made redundant.

Fiona Hyslop: ScotAction is the Scottish Government’s skills support package for leading Scotland out of recession and on to economic growth. People facing redundancy can obtain information and advice on what support is available through ScotAction and from other sources through the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment, PACE.

  Some of the skills support available to people being made redundant includes:

  Employees on notice of redundancy are now able to access tailored vocational training through Training for Work during the 90 day notification period of redundancy;

  An additional 3,150 Training for Work places are being created with support from the European Social Fund to offer job-focused training that is flexible and suited to the needs of individuals and employers;

  Providing employers willing to recruit a redundant apprentice and enable them to complete their training with a £2,000 subsidy;

  Colleges are accessing £7 million provided by the Scottish Funding Council to support the training of people made redundant;

  Skills Development Scotland, with the support of £1.4 million European Social Funding, is doubling the number of careers advisers which will help an additional 4,600 individuals facing redundancy, and

  Extending the eligibility to Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) so that they can be accessed by more people. Through our ILA200 offer people can receive £200 a year to take part in short, flexible pieces of work-focused training. In addition, ILA500 provides a grant of £500 per year towards higher education study at college or university.

Employment

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S3W-25156 by Fiona Hyslop on 17 August 2009, what its definition is of a "training opportunity".

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s definition of training opportunities are government-funded, work-related skills provision through:

  National training programmes like modern apprentices and Skillseekers based on Scottish/National Vocational Qualifications,

  Personalised training schemes like Get Ready for Work and Training for Work focused on job outcomes and based on customised, personalised learning, and

  Flexible learning enabled through individual learning accounts.

Justice

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it considers surveillance material of lawful demonstrations and gatherings should be retained by the police.

Fergus Ewing: Decisions relating to the retention of intelligence material are made by individual police forces on a case by case basis, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and associated guidance.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people recalled from supervision or licence to custody were not returned to custody, broken down by local authority in each year between January 1999 and June 2009.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Kenny MacAskill: Under the provisions of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993, determinate sentence prisoners may be released on licence between the half-way point and two-thirds point of sentence on the recommendation of the Parole Board. Such individuals are liable to be recalled to custody up to the expiry of their sentence. Life sentence prisoners who are released on life licence on the direction of the Parole Board are liable to recall to custody for the rest of their lives.

  Where an offender’s behaviour gives cause for concern, leading to a revocation of licence conditions, officials of the Criminal Justice Directorate issue the order for the recall to custody to the police in order that they take steps to apprehend and return the offender to custody. The local authority is not involved in the process of returning the individual to custody.

  While responsibility rests with the police to enforce the order, Criminal Justice Directorate continually monitors progress in relation to the enforcement of the order and liaises with the police until the individual is returned to custody.

  Our records indicate that there are presently 14 offenders in Scotland subject to a recall order who have not yet been returned to custody. The table below shows the number recalled in each year.

  Recalled Offenders not yet Returned to Custody by Year of Recall

  

1999 
1


2003 
2


2004 
2


2005 
2


2006 
1


2008 
1


2009 
5



  Source: Scottish Government Criminal Justice Directorate.

  Information on recalls to custody for offenders subject to a Supervised Release Order is not held centrally.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people recalled from supervision or licence to custody were not returned to custody, broken down by police force in each year between January 1999 and June 2009.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Kenny MacAskill: For details of the number recalled in each year I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25679 on 5 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  There are currently 14 offenders in Scotland subject to a recall order who have not yet been returned to custody. The police forces involved were Strathclyde (eight cases), Lothian and Borders (two cases), Tayside (two cases), Dumfries and Galloway (one case) and Merseyside (one case). This information is provided at an aggregate level only due to the very small numbers and risks of disclosure.

  Information on recalls to custody for offenders subject to a Supervised Release Order is not held centrally.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people recalled from supervision or licence to custody were not returned to custody, broken down by main crime or offence for which they were committed in each year between January 1999 and June 2009.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Kenny MacAskill: For details of the number recalled in each year I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25679 on 5 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  There are currently 14 convicted prisoners in Scotland subject to a recall order who have not yet been returned to custody. Of these, nine were convicted for crimes of violence, four for drugs-related crimes and one for sexual crimes. This information is provided at an aggregate level only due to the very small numbers and risks of disclosure.

  Information on recalls to custody for offenders subject to a Supervised Release Order is not held centrally.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25887 by Kenny MacAskill on 10 August 2009, what the outcomes were in relation to the 67 people proceeded against for the offence of handling an offensive weapon while on bail.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons proceeded against in Lothians region for handling an offensive weapon1 having a bail aggravator recorded, by disposal, 2007-08:

  

Main Result of Proceedings
2007-08


Not guilty
7


Imprisonment
23


Young Offenders Institution
6


Probation 
3


Community service order 
4


Restriction of liberty order 
3


Fine 
16


Caution or admonition 
5


All
67



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people prosecuted in 2007-08 for handling an offensive weapon had a criminal record at the time of prosecution, broken down by (a) police force area and (b) most recent offence.

Kenny MacAskill: There were 4,041 persons proceeded against in Scottish Courts for handling an offensive weapon in 2007-08. This relates to 3,874 individuals, as some people have been proceeded against on more than one occasion.

  Information about whether or nor individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution is not held centrally. However, the following table shows the number of these individuals who had a previous charge proved in court at least once in the previous 10 years. The previous charge has been identified as having a date of sentence which is earlier than the date of sentence for the latest charge of handling an offensive weapon.

  The source of this information is the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database, which is derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the following data provided.

  Number of individuals proceeded against for handling an offensive weapon1,2 in 2007-2008 who had a previous charge3 proved in court, by Police Force and by main crime4 for that offence:

  

 
Police Force


Central
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife
Grampian
Lothian and Borders
Northern
Strathclyde
Tayside
Scotland


Number of Individuals


All Crimes
Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence
Homicide
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
-
4


Serious assault & attempted murder
5
1
-
2
6
3
39
2
58


Robbery
2
-
1
-
4
-
24
2
33


Other
-
-
-
-
1
2
9
-
12


Crimes of Indecency
Indecent assault
-
-
-
1
1
-
1
-
3


Lewd & indecent behaviour
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
-
2


Other
-
-
-
-
1
-
5
-
6


Crimes of Dishonesty
House-breaking
-
3
3
3
14
-
37
4
64


Theft by opening a lockfast place
-
1
1
2
6
1
16
4
31


Theft of/from a motor vehicle
2
2
1
3
1
-
17
7
33


Shoplifting
10
4
6
15
24
1
115
15
190


Other theft
4
3
8
5
8
5
43
11
87


Fraud
-
-
3
1
2
-
9
1
16


Other
-
2
1
3
3
1
17
4
31


Fire-Raising, Vandalism, etc
Fire-raising
-
-
1
-
1
-
4
-
6


Vandalism etc
14
5
9
17
16
9
77
4
151


Other Crimes 
Crimes against public justice
16
1
9
15
30
3
153
20
247


Handling an offensive weapon
1
2
5
8
16
5
158
7
202


Drugs
12
6
4
14
23
10
200
12
281


Other
-
1
1
- 
1
- 
4
- 
7


All offences
Miscellaneous Offences
Common assault
21
11
16
9
42
13
217
19
348


Breach of the peace
28
10
6
12
32
9
307
27
431


Drunkenness
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2
2
- 
4


Other
8
1
3
5
8
3
130
4
162


Motor Vehicle Offences
Dangerous & careless driving
3
2
2
3
4
2
26
2
44


Drunk driving
4
3
2
3
13
3
60
3
91


Speeding
1
1
.
3
5
4
9
8
31


Unlawful use of vehicle
14
5
15
10
27
3
135
18
227


Vehicle defect offences
2
- 
1
3
5
1
7
1
20


Other
1
3
- 
2
8
- 
15
2
31


All
 
 
148
67
98
139
303
80
1,841
177
2,853



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence

  2. Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.

  3. Where there was more than one previous charge the most recent was selected.

  4. The crime categories used are the same as in the Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts Statistical Bulletin.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were (a) prosecuted in 2007-08 for handling an offensive weapon and (b) on bail at the time of the offence, broken down by police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.

  Persons proceeded against for handling an offensive weapon1in 2007-08:

  

Police Force
2007-08


Central
165


Dumfries and Galloway
89


Fife
143


Grampian
184


Lothian and Borders
417


Northern
117


Strathclyde
2,701


Tayside
224


All 2
4,041



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes 1 recorded case from unknown police force.

  Persons proceeded against for handling an offensive weapon1 having a bail aggravator recorded, in 2007-08:

  

Police Force
2007-08


Central
39


Dumfries and Galloway
11


Fife
25


Grampian
39


Lothian and Borders
73


Northern
22


Strathclyde
557


Tayside
51


All
817



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Justice

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assess the effects of sexism in the criminal justice system

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive is committed to its duty as a public authority to take positive action to eliminate gender discrimination and to promote equality under the Equality Act 2006. This should ensure that we treat men and women with equivalent respect according to need. In some cases this will mean that services need to be designed to meet the specific needs of women.

  I undertook during my appearance at the Equal Opportunities Committee on 23 June 2009 to ensure that our work with COSLA and other agencies in taking forward the framework of Protecting Scotland’s Communities, Fair Fast and Flexible Justice included the application of the Gender Equality Duty.

Justice

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address sexism in the criminal justice system.

Kenny MacAskill: I undertook during my appearance at the Equal Opportunities Committee on 23 June 2009 to ensure that our work with COSLA and other agencies in taking forward the framework of Protecting Scotland’s Communities, Fair Fast and Flexible Justice included the application of the Gender Equality Duty.

  I want to ensure that criminal justice services are designed to meet the specific needs of all offenders.

Justice

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in The Herald on 12 August 2009 that where "a man and woman [are] facing punishment for the same offence, the woman will get a higher tariff"‘, what action, if any, it intends to take.

Kenny MacAskill: Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the judiciary. The Scottish Executive recognises the need to develop further our understanding of the complex needs of women offenders and to ensure that the criminal justice system is equipped to respond to those underlying needs as well as to their offending behaviour.

  I undertook during my appearance at the Equal Opportunities Committee on 23 June 2009 to ensure that the Gender Equality Duty was applied to the work being taken forward with COSLA and other agencies within the framework of "Protecting Scotland’s Communities, Fair, Fast and Flexible Justice" to design disposals and services which meet the specific needs of offenders.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest waiting time between sentence and the commencement of a community service order was in the Lothians in each quarter since May 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally. I refer to the member to the answer to question S3W-22851 on 23 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Justice

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is not currently available to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice which prevents him from making a decision regarding Abdelbasset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.

Kenny MacAskill: I took my decisions on 19 August 2009 and announced them on 20 August.

Ministerial Meetings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have (a) been sought and (b) taken place between Scottish and UK Government ministers since 25 June 2009.

Michael Russell: Records indicate that there have been a total of 23 meetings involving Scottish and UK Government ministers in the period since 25 June 2009. This figure includes tele- and video conferences. No record of meetings sought is held centrally.

Maternity Services

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what screening currently takes place for newborn babies in Scotland.

Shona Robison: All parents are invited to consent that their newborn babies undergo the Newborn Bloodspot Screening, the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and a newborn physical examination.

Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25166 by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 July 2009, what options are available to Scottish Natural Heritage as management agreements that meet the requirements of section 29(3) of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

Roseanna Cunningham: Section 58 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 defines the term "management agreement" for the purposes of that act. This encompasses management agreements made under the following legislation in the circumstances stated:

  section 16 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 to secure the management of the land as a nature reserve

  section 49A of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 to secure the conservation and enhancement or to foster the understanding and enjoyment of the natural heritage of Scotland

  section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 for the purpose of conserving the flora, fauna or geological or geomorphological features of an SSSI;

  SNH may also offer management agreements under regulation 16 the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 ("the 1994 Regulations") for the management, conservation, restoration or protection of a European site, or any part of it or land adjacent to it. Regulation 21 of those regulations applies the provisions of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of the 2004 act (which includes section 29(3) of the 2004 act) for the purposes of management agreements made under regulation 16 of the 1994 regulations.

Police

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on the provision of adequate tied police houses in rural areas as a means of ensuring that police cover is maintained in these areas.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government places great importance in ensuring all of Scotland’s communities receive effective policing. The government recognises that many police forces in Scotland therefore retain tied housing stock to help support operational policing in areas where housing would otherwise be difficult to obtain. The on-going management of police housing stock is a matter currently being discussed with police authorities.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address in prisons the issue of post-custody homelessness.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

  A Core Screen assessment is undertaken within 72 hours of admission to prison. This assesses prisoner’s needs including the issue of appropriate accommodation.

  Those with identified accommodation or homelessness issues are referred to housing advice services to facilitate accommodation arrangements prior to release. Where time constraints prevent this, for example where a prisoner is serving a very short sentence, an appointment with external housing services is made prior to release.

  Prisoner induction programmes, including those for remand prisoners, also include information on housing advice services and how prisoners can access these during their time in prison. Where necessary prison based housing advice services will assist prisoners in making application for accommodation.

  SPS has also worked with Scottish Government to develop policies to address this issue: The National Accommodation Strategy for Prisoners and The National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what agencies provide advice or support in prisons on issues of employment, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The table following details the individual agencies that are working in each prison.

  

Prison
Agencies


Addiewell
JobCentre Plus The Advice Shop – funded through West Lothian CouncilWise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project


Aberdeen
JobCentre Plus Apex Scotland Careers Scotland Aberdeen Foyer (training and employment) Aberdeen Foyer (integrated drug services) Community Chaplaincy/Integrate Working Families Working Links Momentum CFINE (Community Food Initiative North East) Aberdeen College Pathways Condition management programmeAdult construction skills


Barlinnie
JobCentre Plus Working Links. Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project Motherwell College.Glasgow Works.


Cornton Vale
JobCentre Plus Carnegie College Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project Access To Industry – Passport project (Edinburgh and Lothian region only).Circle – Work with women who have an addiction and who have care of their children


Dumfries
JobCentre Plus Apex ScotlandWise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project


Edinburgh
JobCentrePlusApex Scotland Construction Link worker 


Glenochil
JobCentre Plus Partnerships with The Raploch URC (Urban Regeneration Company), Speedy HireECITB (Engineering construction Industry Training Board).


Greenock
JobCentrePlusWise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project


Inverness
JobCentre Plus Motherwell College Local Employment Partnership AdvisorMoray New Futures


Kilmarnock
JobCentre Plus Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison projectWorkers Educational Association


Open Estate
JobCentre Plus Access to Industry (Edinburgh postcodes only) Motherwell CollegeBusiness Gateway


Perth
JobCentre Plus Apex ScotlandCareers Scotland


Peterhead
Prisoners are transferred to other prisons for liberation where employability services are provided.


Polmont
JobCentre Plus Motherwell College Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project Access To Industry – Passport project (Edinburgh and Lothian region only) SACRO - Currently working with Edinburgh clients in conjunction with Passport projectOther Agencies on a less frequent basis e.g. Action for Children


Shotts
JobCentrePlus

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what money or debt advice services are provided in prisons, broken down by (a) service and (b) prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following table details the individual agencies and the services they provide in each prison.

  

Prison
Providers
Services


Money Advice
Debt Advice


Addiewell
The Advice Shop – funded through West Lothian Council
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√

√
√

√


Aberdeen
Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau 
Aberdeen City Council in conjunction with SHELTER (referral system)
Aberdeenshire Council
√
 

√
√
 
√
√


Barlinnie
Citizens Advice Bureau
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√
√
√
√


Cornton Vale
Carnegie College Education – Money Matters course 
Debt advice – referral service to the Scottish Legal Aid Board who run the Part V Outreach Project, they arrange for a civil lawyer to attend once a fortnight. It is intended to contact the Citizens Advice to see if they could attend as a result of advice given by the civil lawyer.
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√
 
√
 
 

√
√
 
√
 
 

√


Dumfries
Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Bureau (DAGCAS)
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√
√
√
√


Edinburgh
Edinburgh Credit Union - 4 week modular training
Edinburgh Council Debt Advice - attending one day per week for other general advice.
√


√
√


Glenochil
Carnegie College – Money Matters course
Housing services offer advice if there are issues especially in relation to rent arrears.
√

√
√


Greenock
Money Matters - a local organisation in Inverclyde provide financial advice to prisoners from the Inverclyde area.
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√
√

√
√



Inverness
Citizens Advice Bureau
√
√


Kilmarnock
Workers Educational Association - budgeting course 
Citizens Advice will also be in the prison on the first Wednesday of the month, scheduled to begin 2nd September 2009.
Wise Group/Apex Scotland Routes Out Of Prison project
√

√

√


Open Estate
Citizens Advice Bureau 
Delivery at Noranside as part of the lifeskills programme, modules on money management, budgeting & debt/credit.
Community Care Grant application packs & assistance to complete this where required.
√
√

√
√
√

√


Perth
No-one specific provider but money and debt guidance is offered by JobCentrePlus
√
√


Peterhead
Prisoners are transferred to other prisons for liberation where employability services are provided.
X
X


Polmont
Currently no money or debt advice courses being run.
X
X


Shotts
Currently no money or debt advice courses being run.
X
X



  The Scottish Prison Service was part of a project instigated by the Financial Services Authority and funded by the Scottish Government to create a flexible teaching resource for use with offenders in custody or the community. This resource is now available to deliver within all prisons as a compliment to the current services being provided.

  While there are currently no services at Shotts prison, a couple of officers have been trained to deliver this new teaching resource and delivery will commence before the end of 2009.

  HMYOI Polmont is developing a new independent living unit. Money and debt support will be available as part of the new unit. Polmont has previously run a money management course funded by the Bank of Scotland. This has now stopped due to bank cut backs.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that social workers who prepare home background reports for serious violent and sex offenders always interview the prisoner, visit the prospective release address and address specifically any risk issues.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive will remind local authority criminal justice social work departments of the requirements in Criminal Justice Social Work National Objectives and Standards that when preparing background reports they should visit the prisoner and the prospective release address and address specifically any risk issues.

Prison Service

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve conditions for prisoners at Oban Sheriff Court following publication of the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Greenock: Full Inspection, 6-13 May 2009 .

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Court Service has recently reached an in-principle agreement with Strathclyde Police that will shortly allow prisoners attending Oban Sheriff Court to be held in Oban police cells. Reliance Custodial Services have undertaken a risk assessment of the premises and arrangements for a formal lease agreement are now being put in place.

Roads

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the further delay in the anticipated completion date for the A75 Hardgrove to Kinmount Improvement scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: Draft Orders were published in June 2008 and 2 Statutory Objections were received. Negotiations to remove these have been on-going, and I can confirm both objections were withdrawn at the start of August 2009. Made Orders will be published shortly.

Rural Affairs

Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statistical information it has documenting closures of pubs, village stores, post offices and schools affecting rural communities in Scotland and the impact of those closures on rural communities.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government holds statistical information in the form of business registers and surveys that could be used to document closures of schools and provide estimates of the change in the number of rural enterprises, such as pubs, village stores and post offices, over time. The Scottish Government does not hold any statistical information that captures the direct impact of those closures on rural communities.

Waste Management

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is prepared to fund new approaches to waste management which will be required from local authorities, as outlined in the Zero Waste Plan.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government has provided local government in Scotland with record levels of funding, £23 billion over the period 2008-10.

  Local authorities have a responsibility to fulfil their statutory obligations and agreed national and local priorities. One of the national priorities is to work with Scottish Government to deliver Zero Waste policy.

  To help deliver that policy the Scottish Government has allocated £42 million to local authorities over the period 2008 to 2010 from the Zero Waste Fund and intends to allocate further funding for 2010-11.

  Future spending allocations have yet to be confirmed. We are however working with budget cuts of around £500 million imposed by Westminster.

Waste Management

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with North Lanarkshire Council to discuss the implications of the Zero Waste Plan.

Richard Lochhead: In May I attended and spoke at a meeting of COSLA Leaders at which North Lanarkshire Council were represented.

  At that meeting I gave assurances that Scottish Government will continue to work closely with COSLA and local authorities in the development of the Zero Waste Plan, and the delivery of the Zero Waste agenda.

  The Zero Waste Plan for Scotland is presently out to consultation. Scottish Government looks forward to receiving a wide range of responses, all of which will be carefully considered.

  I encourage everyone with an interest to respond to this consultation including North Lanarkshire Council.

  I am also more than happy to have a bilateral with North Lanarkshire Council if they want to do so.

Waste Management

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it plans to undertake to determine the volume and proportion of food from (a) supermarkets, (b) households, (c) restaurants and other eating establishments and (d) other sources that will become food waste in any given year.

Richard Lochhead: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) have just carried out a study on the amount of household food waste in Scotland. This will be launched today, 3 September, and shows that the average family wastes £8-10 of food per week. WRAP have also commissioned a research project on waste in the hospitality sector. This report is due to be published later in 2009. WRAP is currently undertaking a survey of food waste within the supply chain which covers the transfer, processing and packaging of food from the farm gate to the back of store.

Waste Management

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it plans to undertake to determine the volume and proportion of commercial waste discarded in any given year.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) plans to carry out work to estimate the amount of commercial and industrial waste produced in Scotland for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 using existing survey data. In addition, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), with Scottish Enterprise, are commissioning work on commercial and industrial organic waste arisings, to understand better the amounts, types and geographical spread. This will aid plans for future waste management infrastructure.

  Section 79 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 empowers Ministers to make regulations requiring persons of the kinds specified to provide SEPA with information on waste. The section lays down that draft regulations must be laid before Parliament no later than 12 months after the day on which this section comes into force.

  To achieve this there is a discussion of how to improve commercial and industrial waste data Sections 1.5 and 1.6, and Annex C, of Scotland’s draft Zero Waste Plan

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/waste-and-pollution/Waste-1/wastestrategy.

  The plan was issued for consultation on 20 August 2009 and one of the questions asked relates to the proposals outlined there.

  Depending on the results of this consultation we will consult next year on the details of what regulations under this section should lay down, and what information on waste should be sent to SEPA.

Waste Management

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce food waste produced by public sector bodies.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government has set out a range of measures to deal with food waste, and other kinds of waste, in Scotland’s Zero Waste Plans.

  We are currently consulting on this plan and a draft may be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/08/19141153/2.

  However, the reduction of food waste, as well as any other kind of waste, is not a matter solely for the Scottish Government. Public and private organisations of all types have a responsibility to reduce their own waste, including food waste, also to ensure any waste that is produced is handled responsibly.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what estimate it has made of the cost of the further examination of the MSP expenses system by Sir Neil McIntosh.

Tom McCabe: Sir Neil McIntosh is conducting the examination of the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme on a non-payment basis, although the SPCB will meet any travel expenses incurred by Sir Neil.

  There may also be some costs associated with gauging public confidence in the Scheme and with the publication of a report, but we would expect these to be minimal. Any administrative support required by Sir Neil will be provided by the SPCB.